First week with my new companion, Elder Pelfrey (日本語でペルフリ長老)so firstly id like yo tell you about him, he is from Seattle, and he loves sports so that is great. He has been a zone leader for the last year and a little bit. His first transfer as a zone leader he was companions with one of my teachers from the MTC who was just a legendary missionary. Elder Pelfrey is an awesome missionary, I am learning so much from him everyday! He is incredible.
This week elder Nelson (12 apostles) and several seventies came to do a big conference for our mission. As you all know in Tokyo japan mission we use iPads and are part of the test to see if they are going to give them to all the missionaries in the world or not. The conference was different to any missionary conference anyone has been to. The aim of the conference was to prepare us to use these iPads better and understand the reason why we have them and the results of the first stage of the test. The conference was named becoming deciles of christ in the digital age.
Everyone probably thinks they know why we have iPads, and so did I and almost every other missionary that has one but there is a way bigger reason. Elder Nelson said in the conference that 80-90% of people our age view porn on a regular basis. He then talked about how almost every single one of the missionaries in that room have been exposed to it in some way shape or form. This is one of the biggest reasons for them giving us iPads. Many people go onto a mission after "a hard battle" with fighting that and addiction to media devices and other things, they go on a mission and come back just to realize they never really conquered their demons they just abstained for 2 years and then fell back into the same habits they had before. It's like they changed their behavior but their nature is still the same so they still struggle with the same things when they return.so the main aim of giving missionaries iPads is to form righteous habits and break bad ones not just abstain for a few years. A really cool scripture they shared in regards to that is John 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. That pretty much sums up the iPad stuff, there was tonnes more but I think that was the cool stuff that you might find interesting.
So the main reason we have been given these iPads is not so we can be more effective missionaries or be able to find scriptures quicker or anything like that! It's to help us form good habits of how to use technology and become the master of the device rather than a slave to the device. It's actually amazing to have this opportunity to develop them skills, I'm so glad I am in the japan Tokyo mission and have this opportunity!!! (P.s. It's looking pretty good for other missionaries getting iPads) were not finished the test yet, we are now in the second faze of the testing of the iPads.
Everyone in our mission is getting a new iPad in about a week, the new iPads have been configured differently and we will be able to get more apps and all sorts of stuff we have been waiting for :D
Elder Nelson promised us in closing that if we can resist temptation and marry well (and he emphasized well!!!) then our children and grandchildren will inherit sin resistant souls. And he expounded well as some one who doesn't just keep their own covenants with God but helps others to keep theirs.
"Being able to correct and accept correction is the way we show love"- elder Nelson
"Mothers and fathers are the rulers of the church of God, not me not Thomas s monson and so that is why we give you these iPads, not to become better more effective missionaries, but so you can make good habits and break old ones so that when you return with honor your old demons will not haunt you anymore and you will be able to live righteously and marry well to raise a generation of saints unto top he lord"- elder Nelson
"God doesn't just want us to return if he did he would just force us, he wants us to want to return!" -Elder Evans
Every week at Eikaiwa (English conversation class) we get like 30 people!!! When I got here we only had like 15 people but we worked hard to invite people to that as well as to hear the gospel and now we have 30 every week.
This transfer we are working on trying to get the members involved in missionary work because it's not missionary work in the handbooks it is called manner missionary work, we can do a lot as missionary's cause we can devote a lot of time to the work but without members help we just can't do it its way too hard! So we're really trying to get to know the ward and build thier dendo Fire. Really try and get them involved as Much as possible.
I don't think I ever told you guys I live in the 10th story of an appartment did I? Well it's amazing!!! We have a crazy cool view.
So on Sunday we went to visit some less actives and we couldn't find their houses because the map took us to the wrong place.then I had this feeling we should go visit shinji who lives like a 30 minute bike ride away! We tried to meet him last transfer and rode our bikes to his house like 20 times and had no luck! So anyway my companion said he needed the toilet, so I said yeah there is one right on the way to shinji's. So we went and as anyone that has been on a mission and probably especially missions in Asian countries every day is the same, and most the time it's hard to tell days a part as a missionary. So we went into maccas he went to the toilet and so I decided I would buy us a drink and cheese burger each, so I did and then I was standing there drinking my drink thinking about what we are going to do when we get to shinji's house and I was like oh we could stop by the mini stop and buy him a small chocolate or something as a way yo get him to come to the door or something. Then I was like oh we can't do that it's Sunday, we can't shop. Then all of a sudden I just literally jumped as if someone just scared me real good and realized I just brought maccas on Sunday!!!!! 0.0 so then I sat there and waited for my companion to come out of the toilet, when he came out he just gave me this weird look and his first thaught was that the lady With 2 kids who I was dendoing in maccas must of brought it for me.... I quickly explained what happened he half petrified laughed and then I said" well I did buy you something too but if you don't want to eat it that's okay haha" elder Pelfrey was like "cool thanks" and ate it cause he didn't buy it so it's okay hahah. So yeah we had a late night maccas run! なつかし it's been a while since I've done that!!! Anyway we got to shinji's house and he was there!!!! We got to talk to him for like a solid 30 mins or so and set up to go to lunch(not on a Sunday)! So glad I followed the promptings of the spirit and went to his house!
Today we are going to the mountains with an English class student, Maebashi is famous for its hot springs so this should be really fun and just recently this student has expressed interest in learning about our church so yeah!!!!
Well I'm back from the mountains, and there were no hot springs, it was the middle of the day and it was -2 degrees, it was freezing but it was so cool! There was heeps of snow and awesome scenery and frozen lakes and temples, and people ice fishing!!!!! I so want to try it some time! Osawa made us some curry and it was delicious, it was awesome fun!!!!
Love Elder King
This week elder Nelson (12 apostles) and several seventies came to do a big conference for our mission. As you all know in Tokyo japan mission we use iPads and are part of the test to see if they are going to give them to all the missionaries in the world or not. The conference was different to any missionary conference anyone has been to. The aim of the conference was to prepare us to use these iPads better and understand the reason why we have them and the results of the first stage of the test. The conference was named becoming deciles of christ in the digital age.
Everyone probably thinks they know why we have iPads, and so did I and almost every other missionary that has one but there is a way bigger reason. Elder Nelson said in the conference that 80-90% of people our age view porn on a regular basis. He then talked about how almost every single one of the missionaries in that room have been exposed to it in some way shape or form. This is one of the biggest reasons for them giving us iPads. Many people go onto a mission after "a hard battle" with fighting that and addiction to media devices and other things, they go on a mission and come back just to realize they never really conquered their demons they just abstained for 2 years and then fell back into the same habits they had before. It's like they changed their behavior but their nature is still the same so they still struggle with the same things when they return.so the main aim of giving missionaries iPads is to form righteous habits and break bad ones not just abstain for a few years. A really cool scripture they shared in regards to that is John 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. That pretty much sums up the iPad stuff, there was tonnes more but I think that was the cool stuff that you might find interesting.
So the main reason we have been given these iPads is not so we can be more effective missionaries or be able to find scriptures quicker or anything like that! It's to help us form good habits of how to use technology and become the master of the device rather than a slave to the device. It's actually amazing to have this opportunity to develop them skills, I'm so glad I am in the japan Tokyo mission and have this opportunity!!! (P.s. It's looking pretty good for other missionaries getting iPads) were not finished the test yet, we are now in the second faze of the testing of the iPads.
Everyone in our mission is getting a new iPad in about a week, the new iPads have been configured differently and we will be able to get more apps and all sorts of stuff we have been waiting for :D
Elder Nelson promised us in closing that if we can resist temptation and marry well (and he emphasized well!!!) then our children and grandchildren will inherit sin resistant souls. And he expounded well as some one who doesn't just keep their own covenants with God but helps others to keep theirs.
"Being able to correct and accept correction is the way we show love"- elder Nelson
"Mothers and fathers are the rulers of the church of God, not me not Thomas s monson and so that is why we give you these iPads, not to become better more effective missionaries, but so you can make good habits and break old ones so that when you return with honor your old demons will not haunt you anymore and you will be able to live righteously and marry well to raise a generation of saints unto top he lord"- elder Nelson
"God doesn't just want us to return if he did he would just force us, he wants us to want to return!" -Elder Evans
Every week at Eikaiwa (English conversation class) we get like 30 people!!! When I got here we only had like 15 people but we worked hard to invite people to that as well as to hear the gospel and now we have 30 every week.
This transfer we are working on trying to get the members involved in missionary work because it's not missionary work in the handbooks it is called manner missionary work, we can do a lot as missionary's cause we can devote a lot of time to the work but without members help we just can't do it its way too hard! So we're really trying to get to know the ward and build thier dendo Fire. Really try and get them involved as Much as possible.
I don't think I ever told you guys I live in the 10th story of an appartment did I? Well it's amazing!!! We have a crazy cool view.
So on Sunday we went to visit some less actives and we couldn't find their houses because the map took us to the wrong place.then I had this feeling we should go visit shinji who lives like a 30 minute bike ride away! We tried to meet him last transfer and rode our bikes to his house like 20 times and had no luck! So anyway my companion said he needed the toilet, so I said yeah there is one right on the way to shinji's. So we went and as anyone that has been on a mission and probably especially missions in Asian countries every day is the same, and most the time it's hard to tell days a part as a missionary. So we went into maccas he went to the toilet and so I decided I would buy us a drink and cheese burger each, so I did and then I was standing there drinking my drink thinking about what we are going to do when we get to shinji's house and I was like oh we could stop by the mini stop and buy him a small chocolate or something as a way yo get him to come to the door or something. Then I was like oh we can't do that it's Sunday, we can't shop. Then all of a sudden I just literally jumped as if someone just scared me real good and realized I just brought maccas on Sunday!!!!! 0.0 so then I sat there and waited for my companion to come out of the toilet, when he came out he just gave me this weird look and his first thaught was that the lady With 2 kids who I was dendoing in maccas must of brought it for me.... I quickly explained what happened he half petrified laughed and then I said" well I did buy you something too but if you don't want to eat it that's okay haha" elder Pelfrey was like "cool thanks" and ate it cause he didn't buy it so it's okay hahah. So yeah we had a late night maccas run! なつかし it's been a while since I've done that!!! Anyway we got to shinji's house and he was there!!!! We got to talk to him for like a solid 30 mins or so and set up to go to lunch(not on a Sunday)! So glad I followed the promptings of the spirit and went to his house!
Today we are going to the mountains with an English class student, Maebashi is famous for its hot springs so this should be really fun and just recently this student has expressed interest in learning about our church so yeah!!!!
Well I'm back from the mountains, and there were no hot springs, it was the middle of the day and it was -2 degrees, it was freezing but it was so cool! There was heeps of snow and awesome scenery and frozen lakes and temples, and people ice fishing!!!!! I so want to try it some time! Osawa made us some curry and it was delicious, it was awesome fun!!!!
Love Elder King